


Distant Lover

by mcgarrygirl78



Series: The Heart of the Matter [5]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Humor, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-10
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-04 21:27:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,422
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/715276
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She once had dreams of being the Deputy Director or even the first female Director of the FBI.  With the wars she was in the middle of on the daily basis, the Bureau could keep it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Distant Lover

“I'm leaving right now, I promise.”

“Aha, I caught you red handed.”

“No seriously, I'm leaving right now.” Erin said. “I was putting on my coat and had to stop everything to answer the phone. I would've let it go to voicemail but it was you.”

“It’s me.” Jack said.

“You're up late again.”

“It’s the best time to call you.”

“Jack, I don’t want you losing sleep because of me.”

“Stop that.” he said. “I actually dose on the couch. Then my alarm wakes me when its time to call you. After we hang up I go to bed.”

“Have I told you how much I love you today?” Erin asked. She put the cell phone on speaker, sitting it on her desk so she could put her coat on. She really was in the process of walking out the door when the phone rang.

“I got your text earlier. I'm sorry I couldn’t reply but I was in meetings.”

“It’s alright.”

“It’s not really but I'm glad you forgive me.”

“It’s not an unforgivable offense.” Erin grabbed her bag and put her phone back to her ear. Turning out the lights, she walked out of her office. At this hour the floor was pretty quiet but there were surely other places in the building where it was just as active as it had been at 9am. Quantico never closed and many nights she was staying up with it. “Don’t let it happen again.”

“Yes ma'am. So tell me how you are.”

“I'm fine.” It wasn’t quite true but not a bald faced lie so that was good. “Its busy here and I haven’t had a lot of time to just stop and think. MK is doing a show at school so there’s been a lot of practice around the house. 

“And then Ted has lacrosse and I missed a game the other day. He's disappointed but pretending not to be. I don’t want to be at the next one to make it up to him, Jack. I want to be there because I want to be there.”

“You can put the reminders in your cell phone.” He said. “Remember we talked about reading the manual. The kind you carry is quite good in making them understandable to someone not tech savvy.”

“I am tech savvy…sort of. And I would have to actually remember to put the reminders in the phone.” Erin walked onto the elevator as the doors opened. It was empty and she hoped it stayed that way. “I've got to get better at this.”

“You're a wonderful mother. You’re just busy.”

“I need to be there more. I want to be there more. I just…”

“I don’t like when you beat yourself up.” Jack said. “You’ve sacrificed a lot over the years to get where you are.”

Everyday Erin felt like it was a battle to stay there. She once had dreams of being the Deputy Director or even the first female Director of the FBI. With the wars she was in the middle of on the daily basis, the Bureau could keep it. Actually, the Bureau could shove it. 

Erin didn't envy Kirk one bit anymore. Her battle wounds and scars would take her out of the game way before she ever reached the summit of federal employee life. Her one comfort was that she really loved her job. It wasn’t just the power trip, which could be heady enough, this was just something that Erin Strauss was good at.

“Well I'm sleeping in tomorrow.” she said as the elevator opened into the lobby. “Even if I wake up with the crows as usual, I'm going to lounge around, make myself some breakfast, and read the paper. I'm not coming into the office until eleven.”

“Damn I wish I was there with you.” Jack said. “The possibilities would be limitless.”

“Not really since you don’t sleep over when the kids are home. No Tuesday nights for you, Mister.”

After signing out, Erin put her soft leather briefcase over her shoulder and walked out into the rainy Virginia night. She opened her large black umbrella and started the walk across the parking lot. There weren't that many people around but Erin never felt unsafe there. It didn’t stop her from looking around as she walked. There was always the possibility of someone being stupid enough to attack right in front of a federal building on a military base. If people weren't stupid sometimes she would be out of a job.

“Five months and we’ll be married.” Jack said. “You won't be able to get away from me then.”

“I don’t want to get away from you now. Tell me what the weather is like where you are, Jack. Its chilly and rainy and slightly miserable here.” She said.

“It almost reached fifty today, and felt like it with the sunshine. But it’ll probably be rainy when I wake tomorrow. April is a rather dry month in the area but they're forecasting rain for most of the day.”

“It’s almost like being in the same place except we aren’t.” Erin stopped at her car.

“Soon love, I promise. I can't wait to hold you in my arms.”

“How do you get by without me?” she asked.

“One day at a time. Have you left the office or did you find a folder that just screamed for your attention?”

“I'm getting in my car, smartass.”

Jack laughed. He knew how much Erin loved work and how driven she was to always land on top of the dog pile. He was the same way; it was one of the things that attracted him to her in the first place. When he was home he could pull her out of that world sometimes. 

Jack thought she might be lonely but didn’t want to bring it up. He was working too much too right now and missing her too. They’d be together again soon. Maybe they could talk about it then.

“At least you went out for drinks last week with friends.” He said. “Are you going to do that again soon?”

“I don't know.” Erin cleared her throat. She put her earpiece in, laying the phone in her cup holder as she started her BMW. “The friend was David Rossi, Jack.”

“Oh. Well did you have a nice time?”

He didn’t expect to hear that but the two of them had a past. Jealousy was a petty emotion, though he wasn’t above it. There was no point being thousands of miles away worried about what his fiancée was doing. He trusted Erin and knew where her heart was. Dave Rossi being back on the scene didn’t change that. Jack hoped it didn’t change that.

“We bickered about Meryl Streep films.” Erin replied.

“That’s a worthy pastime.”

“Is it crazy that I miss you so much that talking sometimes makes it worse?” she asked.

“No. I feel the same way. I’ll let you go...I should get to bed anyway. There are early morning meetings. I’ll be drinking plenty of coffee to get through them.”

“Call me in the evening if you can. I mean your evening as I’ll probably be on my way to work then.”

“Will do. I love you, sweet dreams, and I’ll talk to you soon.”

“I love you too Jack. Goodnight.”

Erin ended the phone call. She turned on the radio to put her mind on something else. It had been so damn long since she let someone in, loved them, and the separation was nearly unbearable. It might be easier if she didn’t have to worry about David always lurking. Even though Erin thought he might just be lurking in her head. 

He traveled extensively with the BAU and she hadn't seen him once since their drinks last week. Carly Simon started singing _You Belong to Me_ ; she rushed to turn it off. On the next station Stevie Nicks was singing _Landslide_ and that had to go as well. She settled on Laura Branigan singing _Self Control_ , which was one of Erin’s favorite songs. 

She started singing along, cracked her window, lit a Marlboro Mild, and told herself for the millionth time that she was letting go. Instead of being down about a man who didn’t care about her she needed to be up for a man who did. Jack calling was a boost in a rather humdrum day. That would be her focus. Erin needed to let herself end the night on a good note.

***


End file.
